Every one who said pre amp couldn't be more wrong.I tried that for years on my big rig.
I finally got a pair of tube amps that could rock my JM 936s they are the Consonance 800s a very very good sounding amp. The difference cannot be described. Ask an old fiend Trelja or vist ultravioletaudio.com he has the same thinking. I was using a very highly regarded tube pre yes it was an improvement but using the 800s now it seems like Nirvana on steriods.
BTW the monos blocks use 6CA7 out put 4 per side, still drive the JM's with no sweat hasn't clipped on me yet. They world class and very inexpensive (well built). I saw an article on 6 moons about them.
Tube amp not pre period.
I finally got a pair of tube amps that could rock my JM 936s they are the Consonance 800s a very very good sounding amp. The difference cannot be described. Ask an old fiend Trelja or vist ultravioletaudio.com he has the same thinking. I was using a very highly regarded tube pre yes it was an improvement but using the 800s now it seems like Nirvana on steriods.
BTW the monos blocks use 6CA7 out put 4 per side, still drive the JM's with no sweat hasn't clipped on me yet. They world class and very inexpensive (well built). I saw an article on 6 moons about them.
Tube amp not pre period.